The C-Monsta

From time to time the mighty internet advertising algorithms deliver, presenting me with something I never knew existed but immediately know I must have. Somehow, a few weeks ago, those algorithms found out that in the distant past I was a surfer and that then, as now, I owned neoprene garments, which have to be dried after use. Most of those garments can be carried in a gear bag, even when damp, but booties, if simply tossed into a bag or car when just removed from your feet, will smell really foul. The odor is truly horrible, and lingers long after the offending items have been removed.

Photographs by the author

The C-Monsta is available in orange or gray. The sturdy molded plastic hanger is strong enough to support up to 55 lbs, with dedicated stands for drying gloves and booties, and a crossbar for draping larger items. At either end of the crossbar, the hook can be used to hang miscellaneous gear.

I have always been pretty careful to keep wet-and-worn booties away from my nose by leaving them in my kayak up on the roof rack or putting them into the back of the pickup truck. Once home, I rinse the booties and the rest of my neoprene gear in fresh water as soon as possible. Then there is the challenge of how to dry them out. Wetsuits need to be hung to dry, which is relatively straightforward with a clothes hanger and a washing line, although you do need a wide coat hanger to avoid distorting the shoulders. But booties and gloves need to have their openings facing down to drain and dry, otherwise they collapse in on themselves, trapping the moisture, which slows the drying…and leads to that delightful smell!